Volunteers remove weeds and plant native plants at Bison Paddock for the Sparrows to nest

Volunteers remove weeds and plant native plants at Bison Paddock for the Sparrows to nest

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Recreation and Park Department has partnered up with Golden Gate Audubon Society and volunteers to work on the restoration of White-Crowned Sparrow habitat and other coastal scrub species at the edge of the Bison Paddock since 2009. Volunteers removed invasive weeds and planted native species that would attract the White-Crowned Sparrows to nest. In addition, each fall, the volunteers clean out the nest boxes — removing last season’s nesting material to prepare them for the next nesting season and documenting contents such as eggs that did not hatch. Currently, there have been ten clutches of White-Crowned Sparrows in this area

The goal of the restoration project has been to create habitat and nesting opportunities for White-Crowned Sparrows, a species that has been diminishing in San Francisco. The Nuttall’s subspecies of White-Crowned Sparrows live along the California coast year round, while other subspecies spend the winter here. White-Crowned Sparrows nest in a clump of vegetation on the ground or at the base of a bush or short tree. The nest is made of grass, leaves, twigs, pine, moss, bark, hair and feathers, and they lay between two and five eggs in each clutch (batch).

“Because of our partnership with Golden Gate Audubon Society and our passionate volunteers, San Franciscans can enjoy watching birds and bison thriving in Golden Gate Park,” said Phil Ginsburg, SF Rec and Park General Manager. “We welcome the public to join us in the efforts of restoring parks and natural areas to encourage the return of wildlife in our City.”

Volunteer opportunities for SF Rec and Parks exist in every corner of the city and volunteers can choose from a variety of projects-from individual to group-bases, from one-time to long-term, from indoor to outdoor, from locally focused to city-wide. Please visit http://sfrecpark.org/Volunteer-HowToGetStarted.aspx to become a SF Rec and Parks volunteer.

“This shows that with a little thought and effort, even a big city can provide productive nesting sites for birds,” said Golden Gate Audubon Executive Director Mark Welther. “We are pleased to partner with SF Rec and Parks to make Golden Gate Park a more welcoming habitat for wildlife.”

Golden Gate Audubon Society was founded in 1917 with the mission to engage the public to experience the wonder of birds and protect native bird populations and their habitats. More about Golden Gate Audubon Society, please visit http://www.goldengateaudubon.org/.